Ride stabilizer for lateral motion truck



Sept. 22, 1959 A. H. CARLSON 2,905,105

RIDE STABILIZER FOR LATERAL MOTION TRUCK Filed Feb. 15, 195e s sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Sept. 22, 1959 A. H. CARLSON 2,905,106

RIDE STABILIZER FOR LATERAL MOTION TRUCK Filed Feb. l5, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Mw MMM@ BY Mm, @zum #WCMa/md Sept. 22, 1959 A. H. CARLSON RIDE STABILIZER FOR LATERAI.. MOTION TRUCK Filed Feb. 15, 195e 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENToR.

BY @mm @hmm vmfzma United States Patent O M 21905406 RIDE sTABmIz-ER ron LATERAL MOTION TRUCK Arthur H. Carlson, Chicago, Ill., assgnor to Holland Company, a corporation 4of Illinois Application February 115, `1956, Serial No. 565,597

9 Claims. (CI. 10154-5197) My invention relates to `a ride stabilizer for lateral motion trucks, and more particularly, to method and `means for converting railway car trucks having an undampened laterally movable bolster to one in which the bolster is frictionally dampened inrits vertical movement and in which controlled lateral movement of the bolster is provided. A

A need and desire has arisen iny the railroad car truck art for simple and inexpensive methods and means for converting conventional freightcar railroad trucks, which were not designed to have dampening means for controlling the movement of the truckA bolster, t`o` trucks in which the bolster is frictionally dampened, thus providing ride stabilization. o

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a method and 1means Vfoi providing ride stabilization in lateral motion trucks that `requires ay minimum of modification of the bolster and` side frame structure of the truck, and yet provides maximum fride stabilization.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dampening device for railroad car trucks that `may be interposed between Vthe bolster and the resilient means on which the bolster conventionally rides, in place ofthe usual upper spring plate forming a part of such resilient means. n

A further object of the invention is to provide an irnproved dampening device in which `tlie motion `of the frictional elements thereof is closely controlled,

Another object of the invention is toprovide a damp- ,ening device particularly adapted to convert a convene tional lateral motion railroad car truck to one in which the bolster member thereof is frictionally dampened `in its vertical movement,v and in which the bolster is centered with respect to the truck side frames.

Yet al further object of the invention is to provide `a ymethod of and means for converting` a conventional lateral motion railroad car truck to one in which the bolster member thereof is frictionally ,dampened by merely inserting a dampening device between the truck bolster and its resilient supporting means.

In accordance with `the illustrated einlgiodirnentl of the invention, I provide a dampening device, comprising .a

housing, frieden `elelrlerlts 01" blQQkS, and` biasing `Springs therefor, that is inserted as a whole between the truek bolster and its resilient supporting means in the side frames of `the `truol. T he invention is illustrated as applied to the .type of lateral lmotion truck wherein `roll ers `are interposed between the spring plate of `the resilient supporting means for the bolster,` ordinarily `comprising groups of helical compression springs, and the bolster. In this embodiment, `the top of`the`housing 4is formed with surfaces complementary to the roller bearing surfaces of the bolster, and the winged flanges `or roller retaining flanges of vthe bolster are suiciently modiiied to permit these surfaces to contact `each other, the rollers being eliminated.- A friction element or block is mguntsd in each endf of the `housing for engagement with the Side lwalls of'the side frame bolster openings.

The wing ICC 2 ilanges are also modified to provide room for the friction elements. These friction elements or blocks are proved dampening elements in that, for instance, their movement with respect to the housing is controlled by a relatively large number of guiding surfaces.

Omher objects, uses and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of rthe following description and the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of `a lateral motion freight car truck equipped with one embodiment of the dampening device of this invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional View along line 2--2 of Figures l and 5;

Figure 3 is a fragmental longitudinal sectional View of the bolster end;

Figure 4 is a sectional View along line 4,.-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan View of the `dampening device with a frictional plate of the truck` shown in section;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the dampening device, with parts broken away for clarity of illustration;

Figure 7 is a perspective View of the dampening device housing;

Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views of the frictional elements employed in the dampenins device; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view along line 10-10' of Figure 6 with parts shown in elevation.

Reference numeral 10 of Figures l and 2 generally indicates a side fraine'of a lateral motion railroad car truck including a compression member 1 2, a tension member 14, and columns 16, together vdefining a bolster window openings v18 adapted to receive the end portion 20 of a bolster 2 2 that is supported on resilient means 24 comprising a set of helical springs 26. The movement of the bolster 22 is guided by laterally extending guide flanges 27 fixed tothe bolster.

In the conventional lateral motion railway car trucks in which side frames 10 and bolster 22 are employed, rollers are interposed between each end of the bolster 22 and the top spring plate of each resilient means 24. The bolster 22 is conventionally formed with roller bearing surfaces 2S and winged anges `30 that define roller bearing receiving pockets in which these roller bearings are mounted, In the illustrated embodiment, a three pocket bolster is shown, but it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to three pocket bolsters.

According to the present invention, these roller bearings are eliminated and the dampening device 32 is substituted for the conventional upper spring plate of resilient means 24.

The dampening `device 32 comprises (see Figures 5-9) a housing 34, a pair of friction elements or blocks `3,6, and springs 3S for biasing the friction elements or blocks `outwardly of the housing.

The top surface of `the housing (see Figure 7) is formed with curved surfaces 40 that are `complementary to the curved surfaces 23 of the bolster `ends 20, and level and inclined surfaces 41 thatare adapted to cooperate with winged flanges 30 as hereinafter described. The housing 34, which is preferably a cast element, is also `formed with a pair of extensions 42 at each and thereof, a pair Qf generally cylindrical recesses 44 opening from each end thereof, and a polygonal pocket46 opening toeach end of the housing. The housing is also formed with openings I48 that open into the pockets `46 `for the purpose hereinafter made clear. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the surfaces `4l on the `inner side 45 and outer side 49 are of different widths in the illustrated embodiment.

The housing is also formed on its bottom with surfaces similar `to those oftthe conventional `upper Ispr-ing plates friction surfaces 60.

friction elements or blocks 36.

' about them. ft'ension` 56 cooperates with the adjacent internal surfaces of the respective pockets 46 to provide central guiding of l9)` each comprise atv-generallyv ilat body 50 having a Yrounded surface 52 at each end thereof, a pair of laterally projecting studs lor bosses 54, and a central polygonal extens1on 56 perforated at 57. The elements 36 are provided w1th a depending portion 58 to increase the area of In applying the housing of device 32 to a conventional `lateral motion truck of the type illustrated in the drawings, the Winged anges 30'of the bolster are cut out between the points l64 and 66 of Figure 3 in the drawings.

The ends 20 of the bolster will then rest directly on top of the housing with the surfaces 40 engaging the bearing surfaces 28 and the remaining portions of winged flanges 30 engaging surfaces 41 on each side of the housing. The

dampening device is supplied with the friction elements 36 and springs 38 held in place by keys 70 (see Figure 5) 4extending through openings 48. In use the keys are removed and the friction surfaces 60 of the friction elements or blocks 36 are urged against suitable Wear plates 74, that are fixed to the side columns of the truck side frames. As shown in Figure 5, a friction element or block 36 is Yreceived betweenV the extensions `42 of each end of housing Ysprings 38 that provide ride stabilization. It also acts as a spacer to bring to bolster height up to the level required for proper cooperation with standard coupler height. Also, the bottom portion of the casting is formed with spring seats and hence the casting or housing as a whole is the top spring seat for the bolster springs.

It will also be noted that the housing is provided with guide pockets that guide the in and out movement of the Actually, each friction block or element 36 is guided in its movement relative to the housing by live separate means. The rounded surfaces 52 of the friction elements cooperate with rounded surfaces 80 of the housing as do the surfaces 82 of studs or bosses 54` cooperate with the springs that are received Also, the outer surface of the central exthe friction elements or blocks 36. The bosses 54 and extensions 56 together with the surfaces that they coopernate with prevent undesirable twisting of the friction elements 36 with respect to the housing 34 and wear plates 7-4.

As seen more particularly in Figure l0, the inner ends of springs 38 bear against abutments 90 within the housing 34. This provides a longitudinal (with respect to the vupper surfaces of the housing and the lower surfaces of the bolster cooperate to prevent movement of the housing longitudinally of the bolster, while the remaining portions of the bolster winged flanges and the inclined surfaces il of the housing prevent movement of the housing later-ally of the bolster. Thus, the housing is securely locked against all horizontal movement with respect to the bolster by reason of its conguration and the shape of the pocket in which it lits.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate my invention, and' the manner in which it may be performed, and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited since those skilled in the art who have my disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. The method of converting an existing railway car truck of the tjqae having a side frame provided with a bolster opening defined in part by spaced column members and having an undampened bolster supported on resilient means including an upper spring plate, with rollers being interposed between the bolster and the spring plate, said bolster including winged flanges on either side thereof for restricting movement of said rollers transversely of said bolster and concave surfaces against which the respective rollers bear, to one in which the bolster is frictionally dampened in its vertical movevresilient means and the bolster in place of the spring plate and rollers and placing said dampening device in frictional engagement with said column members, and forming the housing and the bolster with complementary surfaces adapted to prevent sidewise movement of the bolster with respect to the housing when the bolster rests on the housing.

-2. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein said Winged anges are cut away to receive the housing.

3.'A dampeningv device adapted to be interposed between a railway car truck bolster and the resilient supporting means therefor in the bolster openings of the truck side frames, said bolster openings being defined in part by column members forming generally vertical front and rear bolster opening side Walls, said device comprising a generally flat body having the top thereof formed into surfaces complementary to the surfaces of the under surface of the bolster and the bottom thereof formed to engage the resilient supporting means, said top of said body being engaged by said bolster and said bottom of said body engaging said resilient means when said device is in operating position, said body being formed with a pair of extensions on its front and rear ends, said extensions of each pair of extensions each being formed with a guiding surface and the guiding surface of each extension opposing the guiding surface of the other in the pair, :a friction element mounted between the respective extensions of each pair of extensions, said friction elements each being formed with surfaces engaging the respective guiding surfaces of the respective extensions, and means for urging the respective friction elements into engagement with the adjacent side walls of said openings.

4. The device set forth in claim 3 wherein said body is formed with at least one recess in the front and rear ends thereof intermediate the extensions of each pair of extensions and wherein resilient means is mounted in each respective recess to urge the respective friction elements into engagement with said side walls.

5. The device set forth in claim 3 wherein said body is formed with a polygonal recess in the front and rear ends thereof intermediate the respective extensions, and wherein said friction elements are each formed with a polygonal projection adapted to be received in each respective recess.

6. A friction element comprising a generally llat body 'wherein one of its wide at surfaces comprises a friction surface and wherein a plurality of outwardly projecting protuberances are formed in the other of its wide flat surfaces, two opposed endsof said body being convexly rounded, said protuberances and said ends forming friction surfaces.

7. In a railway car truck of the type including an undampened bolster supported within the bolster openings of opposed side frames on rollers interposed between the ends of the bolster and spring group units positioned in said bolster openings, said bolster openings being delined in part by side frame columns that form the side Walls of said bolster openings, the improvement wherein a bolster dampening unit is interposed between each end of the bolster and the respective spring group units in place of the rollers, each of said bolster dampening units comprising a housing and dampenng means mounted in said housing and frictionally engaging adjacent side walls of the respective bolster openings, each housing and the bolster being formed with complementary interengaging surfaces that prevent end and sidewise movement of the bolster with respect to said housings.

8. A dampening device adapted to be interposed between a railway car truck bolster and the resilient supporting means therefor in the bolster openings of the truck side frames, said bolster openings being defined in part by column members forming generally vertical front and rear bolster opening side walls, said device comprising a generally flat body having the top thereof formed into surfaces complementary to the surfaces of the under surface of the bolster and the bottom thereof formed to engage the resilient supporting means, said top of said body being engaged by said bolster and said bottom of said body engaging said resilient means when said device is in operating position, said body being formed with a pair of spaced recesses in its front and rear ends, a frictional element positioned adjacent each of said ends, said frictional elements each being formed with a generally at friction surface on one side thereof adapted to engage the bolster opening sidewall adjacent each of said frictional elements, respectively, said frictional elements also each being formed on the other side thereof with spaced projections aligned with said recesses of the body end that the frictional element is positioned adjacent, and helical spring means received in each of said recesses, said spring means of each recess being received over the frictional element projection aligned therewith, said spring means of each body end biasing the respective frictional elements into engagement with the adjacent sidewalls of said bolster openings.

9. The device set forth in claim 8 wherein said body is keyed to said bolster to prevent sidewise and endwise movement of the bolster with respect to said body, and wherein said spring means within said recesses seat against said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,099,891 Vaughan June 9, 1914 2,551,064 Spenner May 1, 1951 2,715,877 Olander Aug. 23, 1955 2,793,029 Shafer May 21, 1957 2,793,030 Carver May 21, 1957 

